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4 Vanlife Shows in France You Should Visit This Spring (And Where to Find Simple Vans)

Posted on2026-03-13

Spring is when vanlife season really starts waking up. The weather gets better. Travel plans start forming. And a lot of people begin asking the same question: “Maybe this is the year we finally build a van.” 

If that sounds familiar, there’s one thing we always recommend doing before buying parts, tools, or a single sheet of plywood: Go to a vanlife show. Seeing things in real life saves a huge amount of time. You can compare layouts properly, check build quality, ask awkward questions, and get a much clearer sense of what actually works for your van, your budget, and the way you want to travel. Even if your project is still at the “maybe this summer” stage, one good show visit can move things forward fast. 

So if you're planning a build, looking for ideas, or just curious about the world of van conversions, here are four great vanlife shows happening in France this spring.

1. Salon Occ’Ygène

Toulouse — 27–29 March

Salon Occ’Ygène is one of the best early-season events if you’re interested in travel, outdoor adventures, and vanlife. It’s not purely a van show, which actually makes it interesting. You'll find exhibitors covering travel, hiking, outdoor gear, and adventure vehicles all in one place.

It’s a great way to kick off the season and gather ideas, and you’ll find us there with Many Loisir.

👉 Official event website

2. Van Life Expo

Rennes — 11–12 April

Van Life Expo has quickly become one of the most popular vanlife events in France. It’s very focused on van travel and conversions, bringing together van builders, equipment brands, accessories, and plenty of travel inspiration. If you're based in western France, it’s a great place to compare different van setups and conversion ideas in one visit, and you’ll find us there alongside H2R and Tent Toit.

👉 Official event website

3. Camper Van Week-End

Angers (Brissac) — 24–26 April

Camper Van Week-End is known for its relaxed, friendly atmosphere and strong vanlife community. You can wander through dozens of vans, chat with builders, discover clever storage ideas, and see a wide range of conversion styles in one place. It’s the kind of show where you always leave with new ideas, and you’ll find us there with Tent Toit.

👉 Official event website

4. Salon des Aventuriers

Lanton — 22–24 May
Salon des Aventuriers brings together vanlife, outdoor gear, bivouac culture, and adventure travel.
It’s a great event for anyone dreaming about road trips, off-grid camping, and life on the road.
If you're based in southwest France, it’s well worth a visit, and you’ll find us there with Van Landes.
What You’ll See at the Simple Vans Stand
If you visit one of these shows, we’re not just bringing brochures.
We’re bringing vans, builds, and a few fun challenges too.
A Real Van Setup
We’ll have a Peugeot Boxer fitted with our Family Classic kit, so you can step inside and experience the layout in a real van.
Seeing the space in person makes a big difference compared to photos.
Two Demo Build Platforms
We’ll also have two demo platforms shaped like real van floors:
• VW T5 / T6.1 platform with the Drifter V2 kit.
• Simple Tiny platform with the Weekender Deluxe.
This helps show how our modular furniture fits different van sizes and layouts.
The D1 Build Challenge
Think you’re good with flat-pack furniture?
At our stand you can try the D1 Challenge.
Participants attempt to assemble our D1 shelf unit as quickly as possible, no glue required.
The fastest time of the day wins the shelf.
A Bed Giveaway
Everyone who stops by the stand can enter our Simple Vans Bed Lottery.
Just fill out a quick form and after the show we’ll randomly pick one lucky winner who will receive a Simple Vans pull-out bed of their choice.
Ideas for Finishing Your Kit
One of the best things about Simple Vans furniture is that you can personalize it.
At the stand we’ll have examples of different finishes, including:
• Natural oils
• Coloured stains
• Painted finishes
A great way to see how customers make their builds unique.
Come Say Hello !
If you're visiting any of these shows this spring, drop by the Simple Vans stand.
Step inside the vans.
Ask questions.
Try the build challenge.
Or just have a chat about your project.
We’d love to meet you.

Related products
SOLD OUT
€3,299.00 (tax incl.)

Designed for families who love long journeys, the Family Classic Kit combines smart storage, versatile seating, and a spacious sleeping setup to make life on the road comfortable, organized, and clutter-free.

Table leg included

Mattress not included

€79.00 (tax incl.)

Optimize your cabin space with this simple and elegant overhead unit. The open, twin compartments provide a handy extra 20 liters of storage.

See our Buyer's Guide

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